Cold front on tap for this weekend, but first more heat, humidity

Near record-high temperatures are expected again this week in South Florida before a New Year’s cold front moves in bringing temperatures back to normal or just below.

According to the National Weather Service in Miami, West Palm Beach broke another overnight warm temperature yesterday when the low hit just 76 degrees. The previous record-warm low was 74 degrees set in 2013.

The strong high pressure system east of Florida is what’s causing the abnormal heat and preventing cooler air from coming down.

Naples set a record high temperature of 87 degrees Sunday, breaking the previous record of 86 from 1942. It was the 5th straight day a record high had been set in Naples.

“More records are likely to be threatened through at least mid-week,” forecasters wrote this morning.

But, by New Year’s Eve, a cold front over the Panhandle should begin to head south.

On New Year’s Day, the high temperature should be closer to 80 degrees, dropping to a high near 70 degrees on Sunday. Also, much drier air will accompany the cool front. Dew point temperatures are going to drop into the 50s, meaning it should feel more like what the mercury actually reads.

This map shows the cool front heading into South Florida on Friday.

Normal high temperatures in late December are 75 degrees in West Palm Beach, with lows in the high 50s.

But the area has not seen temperatures drop below 60 all month. The coolest high temperature this month was 76 degrees.

Today’s high in West Palm Beach is expected to reach 85 degrees. If it does, it will tie a 1968 record.